Discuss how the architecture and decoration of the Taj Mahal exemplify its function.

What will be an ideal response?

Answer: The ideal answer should include:
1. The Taj Mahal was constructed as a tomb for Shah Jahan and his favorite wife.
2. The building appears to hover above the gardens, the design of which symbolizes the gardens of paradise as described by the Qur’an.
3. Surrounding the doorway arch of the central iwan, which marks the location of the tombs, a calligraphic inscription from the Qur’an describes the afterlife.
4. The marble surface, bulb-shaped dome, and paper-thin arched openings of the building further suggest the otherworldly symbolism of the Taj Mahal.